Rotary pump.



E. U. COMES.

ROTARY PUMP. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16. 1908.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

2 SHEET S-SHEET 1.

Z 2 z Q J Q 1 I 61mm,

E. U. COMBS.

ROTARY PUMP.

Patented Aug. 31, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNID S PATENT orrrc ENNIS U. COMES, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIG'NOB TO THE PNEUMATIC WATER LIFT POWER &

IRRIGATION COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION OF COLORADO.

ROTARY PUMP.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENNIS U. (learns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Uolorado,.have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in rotary pumps or water elevators, and partic ularly to improvements in pumps of that type adapted to be partially submerged in a stream and to be operated by the current thereof, and having a spiral water course or channel operating to effect the discharge of water during the revolution of the pump by a combined mechanical and pneumatic action, the latter resulting from the compression and expansion of air in the successive spirals of the channel.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a pump of this character in which a plurality of spiral channels communicating with a common discharge outlet are employed to effect the discharge of the water in a continuous column or stream.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotary pump in which provision is made for reversing the discharge connections from one end to the other end of the pump, thus enabling the water to be discharged from either side of the apparatus to suit varying conditions in service, and, whenever desired, from the side of the apparatus facing the bank of the stream near which said apparatus is anchored, thus obviating the necessity of extending the discharge pipe over the apparatus for connection with the outlet of the pump.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pump having a buoyant body suflicient or nearly so to float the same, thus eloviating the necessity of employing a cumbersome floating support, as is customarily employed.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel mode of constructing the spiral channels, as well as of constructing the apparatus in entirety, so as to produce a pump which is not only light in weight, strong and durable in construction, but may be inexpensively manufactured and operated with sufficient force to expel the stream with a high degree of velocity and a considerable distance.

lVith these and other objects in view, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 16, 1908.

Serial No. 411,148.

invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the pump as arranged for operation in a runnlng stream. Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the wheel removed from the supporting frame. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. t is an end elevation of the wheel. Fig. 5' is a similar view of a modified form of wheel." Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a modified form of channel or coil. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section .of the same. Fig. 8 is a section through one end of the hollow shaft and the discharge pipe, showing the construction of the swivel coupling.

The rotary pump is mounted for operation upon a float or supporting frame preferably formed of a pair of parallel beams or planks 1 connected at their ends by arched crossbars or yokes 2, which are elevated a sulfr cient distance above the beams to permit of the free flow of the current of water between the same.

able diameter and closed at its ends in an air and water tight manner by heads 4. This buoyant body, which is preferably constructed of sheet metal, is of suflicient size to nearly if not quite support the wheel in the stream through its buoyant action, thus obviating the necessity of providing a cumbersome type of supporting frame. By this means a simple type of frame, such as of the character shown and consisting of the beams 1' and cross bars 2, may be' used to carry the bearings for the shaft of the wheel and to provide sufficient additional buoyancy, if necessary, to effectually float the wheel. Hence, the construction of the frame proper of the apparatus may be simplified to a considerable extent, thus decreasing the cost of manufacture to a material degree.

Wound, side by side, in alternation around and along the body 3 from end to end thereof and fixed thereto in any preferred manner is a plurality of spiral coils forming water channels, two of such coils, denoted 5 and 6, respectively, being shown in the present instance. These coils may Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

consist, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of tubes of suitable diameter, or they may be constructed in the manner disclosed in Figs. 6 and 7, as hereinafter described. The terminal portions 7 and 8 and 7 and 8 of the coils at the opposite ends of the wheel face in reverse directions and are open for the inlet or discharge of the water therefrom, the intended construction being such as to permit the coiled terminals at either end to be employed as inlets and those at the opposite end to be employed as outlets, so as to render the apparatus reversible to take up the water at either side and discharge it at the opposite side.

As illustrated, the inlet or receiving ends 7 and 8 of the coils face in the direction of rotation of the wheel, indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and are arranged at diametrically opposite sides of the buoyant body 3, so that when one terminal is in receiving position at the inlet end ,of the pump, the

other terminal at .the same end will be in position for the discharge of the water pre' viously taken up by it into the next spiral of its particular coil, while the terminals at the outlet end of the pump are similarly disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the buoyant body to alternately eject the streams of water therefrom through the discharge outlet, thus effecting the discharge of the water in a continuous stream. The discharge connections comprise opposite outflow pipes 9 connected at their inner ends by couplings 10 to inlet nipples or nozzles 11 on the adjacent end of a hollow shaft 12 and threaded at their outer ends for engagement with elbows 13, which are similarly connected with the terminals 7 and 8 of the coils. The shaft 12 is hollow throughout its length and extends longitudinally through the buoyant body 3, and is terminally threaded at each end, as at 1 1, for a purpose hereinafter described.

\Vithin the hollow body the shaft is provided with rigid collars or sleeves 15 connected by series of radial spokes or braces 16 with the body, thus providing a construction of considerable strength to sustain the strain thrown upon the wheel. Each end of the shaft is provided with the nozzles or nipples 11, while the coiled terminals 7 and 8 and 7 and 8 at the opposite ends of the wheel are similarly threaded for connect-ion with the couplings 13, so that the discharge connec tions 9, 10 and 13 may be detached from the coil terminals 7 and 8 at one end of the wheel and applied to the terminals 7 and 8 at the opposite end thereof, thus rendering the pump reversible in operation to suit different conditions of service, as hereinafter described. Either set of nozzles may be closed by screw caps 17 while either end of the hollow shaft may be closed by a screw cap 18 engaging the threads 14, whereby the parts may be connected for pumping in either direction. This adaptability of the device for reversal to take up water at either side of the apparatus and discharge it at the opposite side is an important feature of my invention, as it renders the apparatus susceptible of use alongside either bank of a stream irrespective of the direction of flow of the water and obviates the necessity of extending the discharge pipe over the apparatus when the water is taken up by the inlets at the side of the apparatus facing the bank near which the apparatus is arranged.

The ends of the shaft between the nozzles 11 and screw threaded portions 17 are journaled in suitable bearings 19 011 the frame bars 1, thus supporting the wheel for revoluble motion 011 the frame. The discharge end of the shaft is designed to be connected with a discharge or stand pipe 20 leading to the point where the water is to be pumped by a swivel coupling, and to this end the inlet terminal 21 of the pipe is formed with an external flange 22 against which bears a flange 23 on one end of a coupling sleeve 24, the opposite end of which is internally screw threaded to receive and engage the threaded end 14 of the shaft. The collar 21 is provided with an angular surface 25 for the application of a wrench or similar tool in applying and removing it, and disposed between the pipe terminal 21 and end of the shaft 12 is a washer 26 of suitable material to form a watertight joint. The collar being fixed to the shaft 12 and held against disconnection from the pipe terminal 21 by the flanges 22 and 23, it will be understood that the shaft and coupling may rotate independently of the terminal 21 without interfering with the flow of the water to and through the discharge pipe.

Arranged upon the periphery of the wheel is an annular series of paddles or blades 27, which extend longitudinally thereof and are suitably fixed to the spirals or portions of the coils. These blades are acted upon by the current of water flowing between the bars 1 of the supporting frame to impart rotary motion to the wheel, by which water from the stream is taken up, forced through the spirals of the coil and delivered through the discharge pipe 20 to the point of use. The apparatus may be anchored in the stream by suitable ropes or cables 28 at tached to the supporting frame and adapted to be secured to stakes or other fixed objects on the adjacent bank, but any other preferred type of anchoring means may be employed.

In the embodiment of the invention. shown in Fig. 5, the hollow body or drum 3 is of angular form in cross-section, having preferably sixteen, more or less, angularly related faces 3 and the coils or water channels are Cir of angular form in cross-section, said drum and coils being formed of suitably shaped parts of sheet metal or castings riveted or otherwise secured together.

By reference to Figs. (3 and 7 it will be understood that each spiral or convolution of a coil is formed of a plurality of sections 29, arranged end to end around the circumference, each section being of channeled form with its open side inwardly disposed. One end of each section is formed with a flange 30 entering the adjacent end of one of the contiguous sections and riveted or otherwise fastened thereto, while the opposite end of said section is unreduced to receive the end flange of the other contiguous section, and so on throughout the series. The open sides of the sections 29 of the spirals or convolutions of one coil or channel are closed by the closed side of the sections 29 of the spirals or convolutions of the other coil or channel, such being the arrangement and structure of the two coils from end to end of the wheel, and the inner walls of the sections of the spirals form the faces 3 and consequently the body wall of the drum or air chamber, whereby a solid and compact body having a plurality of spiral channels therethrough and in which the spirals and drum body are simultaneously produced by the channeled strips is formed. This struc ture is of advantage and importance in the production of pumps of large diameter, in which the formation of the channels or coils of tubing would be prohibitive on account of the impossibility of properly bending tubes of larger diameter, and it will be understood that after assembling the channeled strips it is simply necessary to apply the end heads to complete the formation of the drum.

In operation, it will be understood that the apparatus will be anchored in convenient proximity to one of the banks of a stream and the discharge pipe coupled to the adjacent or inner end of the shaft 12 at the side of the apparatus nearer the bank, the opposite or outer end of said shaft being closed by the cap 18, while one or the other of the sets of terminals 7 and S or 7 and S will be connected by the pipes 9 to the ad jacent nozzles 11, according to the direction of [low of the stream and direction of revolution of the pump. Assuming that the ap paratus as shown in Fig. 1 is located adjacent to one of the banks of the stream and that the current of water is flowing in the direction indicated by the arrow A, it will be apparent that such current acting on the blades 2'7 will rotate the wheel in the reverse direction or in the direction indicated by the arrow B. Hence, as the terminals 7 and 8 at the outer side face in the direction of revolution of the wheel, such terminals will be employed as inlets, while the opposite or inner set of terminals 7 and 8 will be utilized as outlets and connected by the pipes t) and couplings 10 to the nozzles 11 at the inner end of the hollow shaft to which the discharge pipe is attached, the opposite end of the shaft being closed by the cap 18. In the rotation of the wheel the intake terminals 7 and S will, accordingly, alternately take up water on the lower portion of the revo lution thereof and a charge of air on the upper portion of each revolution thereof, thus feeding successive charges of water and air through the spiral channels or coils, the water finally passing from the coils through the terminals 7 and 8, pipes 9 and nozzles 11 into the adjacent or inner end of the shaft and thence into the discharge pipe 20. The water entering each inlet nozzle or terminal flows by gravity therefrom to the first spiral of its coil, the water settling in the lower portion of the spiral and displacing the prior charge of air and compressing it into the upper portion, the water passing on the next half revolution into the second spiral, and so on until the water is fed by the auger-like action of the coil through the discharge terminal into the discharge pipe. The air compressed in each spiral expands in the rotation of the wheel into the next spiral and assists in driving the preceding charge of water before it, thus securing a combined mechanical and pneumatic pumping action.

if the current were flowing in the reverse direction to that indicated by the arrow A, it is apparent that the terminals 7 and 8 could not be employed as inlets, for the reason that they would face reversely to the direction of rotation of the wheel. In order to adapt the apparatus for use in this contingency so that the water could still be discharged through the inner end of the hollow shaft, the pipes 9 would be disconnected from the terminals 7 and 8 and adjacent nozzles 11, the caps 17 removed from the outer set of nozzles and the arrangement of these parts reversed from that shown, the caps 17 being applied to close the inner set of nozzles 11, while the pipes Sand couplings 10 are arranged to connect the terminals 7 and 8 with the outer set of nozzles. In the rotation of the wheel the terminals 7 and 8 will thereupon operate as inlets to take up the water, which will flow from the inner to the outer ends of the spiral coils and pass through the terminals 7 and 8 into the outer end of the hollow shaft, and back through the latter into the discharge pipe, by which the necessity, in such operation of the apparatus, of extending the discharge pipe over the apparatus will be avoided. From this explanation the mode of use of the apparatus with the terminals at either side thereof facing the bankand with the current flowing in either direction will be readily understood. By thus rendering the apparatus reversible to pump in either direction and to discharge from the side nearer the bank, the necessity of extending the discharge pipe over the apparatus for connection with the outer set of terminals when the latter operate as outlet-s will not only be avoided, but the resistance to the flow and tendency to leakage at the joint which would be caused if the discharge pipe were so arranged will be prevented.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A rotary water wheel pump having a spiral pumping course provided with terminals facing reversely for interchangeable use as inlets and outlets in reverse directions of motion of said wheel, and means for connecting either terminal with a discharge pipe.

2. A rotary water wheel pump having a plurality of spiral pumping courses provided with reversely facing terminals adapted for interchangeable use as inlets and outlets in reverse directions of motion of said wheel, and means for connecting either set of terminals with a discharge pipe.

3. A rotary water wheel pump comprising a drum adapted to be propelled by a flowing current and having an outlet at each end and a spiral pumping course provided with terminals facing in reverse directions at opposite ends of the wheel, and means for connecting either terminal with the adjacent outlet.

4. A rotary pump comprising a support, a hollow shaft journaled thereon, a spiral pumping coil mounted upon said shaft and provided with inlet and discharge terminals, means for closing either end of the shaft, and means for connecting either terminal with the adjacent end of the shaft, whereby the terminals are interchangeable for use as inlets and outlets in reverse directions of motion of the coil, and means adapting the device to be rotated through the action of a flowing current of water.

A pumping apparatus comprising a support, a rotary body journaled on said support and including a shaft having an outlet at each end, means for connecting either end of the shaft with a discharge pipe, means for closing the opposite end of the shaft, pumping means carried by the body and comprising a spiral channel having terminals interchangeable for use as inlets or outlets, and means for connecting either terminal with the adjacent end of the shaft to adapt the same to serve as an outlet.

6. A pumping apparatus comprising a support, a wheel journaled for rotation on said support and adapted to be propelled by a water current, said wheel being provided with a discharge outlet for connection with a discharge pipe, a spiral water course upon the wheel having terminals interchangeably adapted for use as inlets and outlets, and

means for connecting the terminals with the discharge outlet of the wheel.

7. A pumpmg apparatus comprlsing a support, a shaft journaled for rotation on the support and formed to provide discharge outlets at its opposite ends, means for closing either end at will, a wheel carried by the shaft and provided with a spiral water channel having terminals, either adapted to act as an inlet or outlet, and means for connecting either of said terminals with the adjacent discharge end of the shaft for the outflow of water therefrom.

8. A pumping apparatus provided with a rotating spiral coil having terminals facing in opposite directions at opposite ends of said coil, discharge outlets adjacent said respective terminals, and means for connect-ing either terminal with the cooperating outlet, whereby the coil may be reversed to take water at either end and discharge at the opposite end.

9. A pumping apparatus comprising a support, a rotating wheel thereon having paddles or blades, said wheel being provided with a supporting shaft having outlet connections at either end, and also being pro vided with spiral water channels having opposite terminals, and means for connecting either set of terminals with the adjacent end of the shaft.

10. A water pumping apparatus comprising a support, a shaft journaled for rotation therein and having outlet connections at each end, a wheeled body fixed to the shaft to rotate therewith and provided with propelling paddles or blades, spiral water courses upon the body having terminals at opposite ends thereof, the terminals at the respective ends facing in opposite direc tions, a discharge pipe, a swivel coupling for connecting said pipe with either end of the shaft, means for closing the opposite end of the shaft, and means for connecting the adjacent terminals of the spiral courses with the first-named end of the shaft.

11. A water pumping apparatus comprising a support, a body mounted for rotation upon the support, said body being of angular form in cross-section to provide a plu- "ality of angularly related faces, spiral coils disposed side by side in alternation and ex tended along and about the body from end to end thereof, each coil being composed of a plurality of connected sect-ions arranged end to end and bearing on said faces, said sections being open at one side and closed by the closed sides of the sections of the other coil, each coil having inlet and discharge terminals, and means adapting the body and coils to be rotated by the force of a running stream.

12. An undershot rotary water pumping apparatus comprising a floating support, a shaft journaled thereon and having an outlet at each end, a drum or hollow body carried by said shaft, said drum being sealed hermetically and forming a float to supplement the buoyancy of the support, a spiral course extending along and surrounding said drum, said course being provided with terminals at opposite ends of the drum facing in reverse directions and interchangeable for use as inlets and outlets, means for connecting either terminal with the adjacent outlet end of the shaft, means for closing the other outlet end of the shaft, and paddles or blades extending longitudinally of the. device and connected with the outer surface of the spiral course.

13. An undershot rotary water pumping apparatus comprising a floating support, a shaft journaled on the support, said shaft having an outlet at each end, a buoyant drum mounted on the shaft, a spiral conductor extending around and longitudinally of the drum and provided with terminals at the opposite sides of the drum facing in reverse directions, means for connecting either of said terminals with a discharge pipe through the adjacent end of the shaft, and means for closing the opposite end of the shaft.

1 An under-shot rotary water pumping apparatus comprising a floating support, a shaft journaled on the support, said shaft having a discharge outlet at each end, a buoyant drum mounted on the shaft, a plurality of spiral conductors extending around and longitudinally of the drum and provided with terminals at the opposite ends of the drum facing in opposite directions, means for connecting the terminals at either end of the drum with the adjacent discharge outlet of the shaft, and means for closing the discharge outlet at the opposite end of the shaft, the said connecting and closing means being applicable to the opposite terminals and to the opposite ends of the shaft.

15. In a rotary pump, a spiral conductor of angular form in cross-section and having inlet and discharge portions at its opposite ends, said conductor comprising a continuous series of coils arranged side by side and connected at their ends, each coil being composed of a plurality of angularly related sheet-metal sections arranged end to end and connected at their adjacent ends and having a side wall and inner and outer walls integral therewith, the open sides of the sections of each coil being closed by and connected with the side walls of the sections of the adjoining coil.

16. A pump embodying a rotary spiral conductor having inlet and discharge portions at the opposite ends thereof, said conductor being angular in cross-section and formed of a plurality of connected spiral convolutions. arranged side by side, each convolution being composed of a plurality of angularly-related connected sections arranged end to end and connected at their adjacent ends, each of said sections being open at one side and closed at the other side and having its open side closed by the closed side of the section of the next adjacent convolution.

17. In means for raising water, a tube arranged in a substantially spiral form about an axis, said tube being closed upon three of its sides and open upon the fourth side and having the open sides of the convolutions closed by the adjacent convolutions.

18. In means for raising water, a tube having a substantially spiral arrangement, said tube being closed upon three sides and open upon the fourth side, the open sides of the convolutions being closed by the adjacent convolutions, the inner and outer walls of the convolutions being stepped to receive the adjacent convolutions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ENNIS U. COMES.

W'itnesses JOHN J. SMITH, C. G. I-IINEs. 

